Carburetor



March 16, 1943.

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`CARBURETOR Eilexd Oct. 17, 19:59 s sheetssheet 2 March 16, 1943.` f 'cR.,sNYDER I GARBURETOR v Filed oct. 17, 1939 3 sheets-snaai s PatentedMar. 16, 1943 UNITED STATESiPATENT OFFICE 2,314,170 CARBURETOR CharlesR. Snyder, Miami Beach, Fla.

Application October 17, 1939, Serial No. 299,899

6 Claims. 261-89) This invention relates to improvements in carburetorsof the type employed for producing vaporized or gaseous fuel mixturesfor internal combustion engines.

Certain general objects of the invention reside in the provision of anovel carburetor wherein the carburetted fuel mixture produced therebywill be of an eflicient and uniform character at all speeds of engineoperation, in order to enable an engine to operate with greatersmoothness, flexibility and fuel economy than are obtainable withcarburetor-s of more conventional design; and in the provision of acarburetor characterized by the simplicity of its mechanicalconstruction and accessibility of its internal mechanisms.

It is another object of the invention to provide a carburetor` having arotary impeller, or other equivalent means, by which liquid fueldelivered to the impeller is disseminated in a confined chamber in theform of a ne mist or spray, and through which spray, air is passed inintimate combining and vaporizing contact with the nely dispersedparticles of the impeller discharge spray, so that there is produced aresulting fuel mixture of a more completely vaporized character than isobtainable with ordinary carburetors, and one which may be moreeconomically and eiiiciently utilized as an explosive mixture in thecylinders f an associated engine.

A further object resides in the provision of a carburetor in which theflow of liquid fuel into the vaporizing and atomizing chamber of thecarburetor is automatically controlled relative to the volumes of airentering the carburetor throughout all stages of operation.

Other -objects reside in the provision of a carburetor which is ofsimple and economic design, durable, efcient and convenient to operate,simple to adjust and not likely to get out of order.

For a further understanding of the carburetor forming the presentinvention, its features of construction and mode of operation, referenceis to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view taken through a carburetorconstructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal sectional view on the plane .disclosedby the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail bottom plan view of the nozzle plate;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View on the line V-V of Fig. 1disclosing in top plan the construction of the turbine rotor;

on the line VI-VI 0f Fig. 1;

slightly modied form of carburetor embodying the principles of thepresent invention;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional View on the line IX--IX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a similar view on the line X-X of Fig. 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

` the numeral I designates the casing of my improved carburetor. In thisinstance, the casing comprises substantially circular upper and lowermetallic sections 2 and 3 respectively, the said sections being spacedby a ring or annulus 4, which may be of a transparent or translucentmaterial so that the operation of the mechanism arranged within themixing chamber `5 of the carburetor may be observed from the exterior.Other materials, of course, may be used in the construction of the ringor annulus without departing from the invention. The upper and loweredges of the ring 4 engage with compressible gaskets 6, and clampingbolts and nuts i, spaced at circumferential intervals are preferablyutilized to hold the sections 2 and 3 and the ring or annulus 4 inoperative assembled relationship.

Formed with the upper section 2 is an airadmitting conduit 8, the latterbeing of curvilineal form having an inlet 9 of uniform cross sectionalarea, the interior of theconduit gradually increasing in diameter as itextendsin- Wardly and downwardly toward the vaporizing chamber of thecarburetor asindicated at I0.

Arranged to normally occupy the inlet 9 of the conduit is a disk-shapedshutter or plunger, the diameter of the shutter being slightly less thanthat of the inlet 9. Extending vupwardly from the shutter II is anarcuate arm I2, which at its upper end is adjustably connected as at I3to the outer extremity of an irregularly shaped arm I4. The inner end ofthe arm I4 is pivotally mounted on a fulcrum stud I5. which istransversely and horizontally positioned in the upper portion of astationary valve guide I6. Also, the inner end of the arm I4 is shapedto produce a gear segment I'I, having the axis of the stud I5, at itscenter. The teeth of the segment I1 mesh with rack teeth I8, formed inthe upper end of a vertically extending valve rod I9, the latter beingslidably received Within the vertical bore of the guide I6. Anadjustable coil spring 2t is fastened at one end to the top of the guideI6 and at its other end to the arm I4, said spring serving to normallymaintain the shutter II in its elevated position within the inlet 9 andin contact with a stop screw 2I, the spring 20 also normallyv serving tomaintain the valve rod IS lin a position ob` structing the flow ofliquid fuel to the vaporizing chamber of the carburetor.

With the use of this construction, as suction forces are created in thevaporizing chamber of the carburetor, the air shutter responds to suchair forces by traveling inwardly into the conduit 8. The center of thearc from which the conduit 8 is struck is the axis of the stud I5 which,also, is the axis of turning movement of the shutter arms I2 and I4.Since the diameter of the shutter is xed, it `follows that as the lattertravels in an arcuate path into the tapering conduit 8, the free spacebetween the peripheral edge of the shutter and the inner surfaces of theconduit gradually and `progressively increases, providing for acontrolled and progressive increase in the volume of air entering thecarburetor whereby to measure and proportion the quantity of liquid fueladmitted into the carburetor in its different stages of operation. Sincethe air shutter is directly coupled with the fuel admitting valve, andthe latter moves proportionately with the movement of the air shutter,constant and definite proportions are maintained throughout all stagesof carburetor operation in the relative volumes of air and liquid fueladmitted into the mixing chamber of the carburetor.

In securing these and other ends, the valve guide I extends verticallythrough a threaded opening provided in the upper central portion of thecasing I, and a clamping nut 22 serves to positively and rigidlymaintain the guide I5 in secure and stationary association with thecasing. The upper end of the guide, above the cas'ng, is formed with alateral extension 23, which receives the threaded end of a fuel supplypipe 24. Preferably, this pipe extends to the fuel pump, not shown, ofan engine or, if desired, liquid fuel may be delivered to the -pipe 24by gravity flow or otherwise.

The extension 23 communicates with a vertical fuel passage 25, extendingtoward the bottom of the guide and in parallel relation with the Valverod I9. The lower end of the guide I3 is externally threaded for thereception of a sleeve 26, there being a gasket 2'I interposed betweencontinuous shouldered portions of the guide and the sleeve. Within theconfines of the sleeve 25, the guide terminates in a reduced extension28, which closely surrounds the lower end of the valve rod I9. Theextension 28 is provided with a narrow elongated fuel-slot 29, which isclosed when the valve rod is normally positioned, as shown in Fig. 1. Asthe valve rod is elevated by the movement of the air shutter II into theconduit 8, the lower end of said valve rod gradually uncovers the slot29 to an extent'dependent upon the amount of air entering thecarburetor. This partial or Complete opening of the slot 29, as the case4may be, permits liquid fuel to travel from the `passage 25 into thesleeve 26 :and thence through the slot 23 and downwardly below the lowerend of the valve rod into the orice nipple 33, the latter depending fromand being threadedly carried by the lower end of the sleeve 26. The slot28 need not be of uniform width throughout its length. For instance, thesame may be substantially T-shaped or of other irregular configuration.

As shown, the nipple is provided axially with a vertical bore ofrestricted cross sectional area, which is disposed in the vertical axisof the carburetor. The lower end of the nipple 30 terminates immediatelyabove a rotatable fuel disseminating disk 3|, which is mountedhorizontally in the mixing or vaporizing chamber v5 for rotation aboutthe vertical axis of the carburetor. The disk is adapted, when thecarburetor is in operation, to rotate at high speeds so that liquid fuelparticles, released from the orifice nipple 33 and deposited in thecenter of the disk, will respond to its high rotational speeds and bereleased by centrifugal force from the peripheral edge of the disk inthe form of a fine mist or spray, traveling horizontally, tangentiallyor radially in a substantially horizontal plane from the peripheral edgeof the disk toward the annulus or ring 4. The centrifugal forces appliedt0 the liquid fuel droplets by the rapidly revolving disk, results inthe disintegration of said droplets into extremely ne particles of amist or spray-like character through which air, ydrawn into thecarburetor, is advanced and intimately .combined while in the chamber 5to produce an efficient fuel mixture for consumption in the cylinders ofan associated internal combustion engine.

In order to eiect the support and rotation of the disk 3l, there is xedon the lower end of the sleeve 26 the inner race ring 32 of a ballbearing, the outer race 33 of said bearing being secured to the underside of a rotor plate 34, arranged for rotation about the vertical axisof the carburetor. The plate 34 supports the disk 3| for rotation inunison therewith by means of circumferentially spaced pins 35. The topof the rotor plate 34 carries a plurality of circularly larranged vanesor buckets 33, which are disposed immediately below and in registrationwith the restricted outlets of a plurality of angularly and downwardlyextending nozzle elements 31. These elements, as shown in Figs. l and 4,are carried by a ring 38 which has a threaded connection with the wallsof a tubular extension 33 constituting the lower or outlet end of theconduit 8. Air thus traveling through the conduit is, in part, caused toiiow through the nozzle elements 3`I and which, because of theirrestricted construction, discharge the air therefrom at high velocitiesin the form of restricted streams. While such air streams are travelingat their peak velocities, the same impinge the vanes or buckets 36 ofthe rotor 34, setting up high rotational speeds by the rotor and itsassociated fuel disseminating disk 3 I.

The extension 39, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7, is formed with slots 40,which are normally closed by means of hingedly mounted arcuate strips orshutters 4I, springs 42 being associated with the strips and their hingemountings to normally maintain said strips in positions obstructing airflow through the slots 43. With the engine operating at slow speeds,most of the air entering the carburetor through the conduit 8 willtravel through the nozzle elements 3'I before entering the mixingchamber 5, thus insuring the desired rotation of the disk 3l at lowerengine speeds. As the speed of the engine increases, and the volume ofair entering the carburetor correspondingly increases, sufficientpressure will be builtl up in the extension 39 to effect eithersimultaneous or selective opening of the slots 40 in order to compensatefor the increased volumes of air ,entering the carburetor. At al1 stagesof operation, however, a sufficient amount of air is delivered to thenozzle elements to effect the rotation of the disk 3I.

Projecting from the extension 3B immediately over the rotor plate 34 isa convex, ring-shaped bale plate 43 which directs air entering themixing chamber by way of the slots 40 in paths indicated by the arrowsa. Likewise, the diameter of the rotor plate 34 is considerably inexcess of that of the disk 3l so that air entering the mixing chamberthrough nozzle jets, merges with the same air stream as the air enteringthrough the by-pass ports. The rapid air flow through the mixing chamberwill not interfere with the centrifugal release of nely divided fuelparticles in a horizontal direction from the peripheral edge of the disk3|. Below the latter, there is arranged a stationary baille plate 44which is supported in a horizontal plane by tubular spacers 45 throughwhich pass headed bolts 46, the threaded ends of the latter beingreceived in the lower section 3 of the casing I. These bolts andspacersiposition the plate 44 above the carburetted fuel outlet 41 ofthe carburetor, the said outlet being formed with the section 3. In thisoutlet, there is arranged the usual butterfly valve 48, fulcrumed at itscenter, as indicated at 49.

A choke control in the form of an arm 50 is pivotally mounted on thefulcrum stud I5. The arm 50 includes a crank extension 5I connected witha wire 52 which extends through a protecting and flexible conduit 53.When the wire 52 is reciprocated, the arm 50 is oscillated on the studI5 in order to cause a laterally extending lip- 53a, formed on the outerend of the arm 56, to engage with the arm I4, forcing the latterdownwardly to cause the air shutter to move to an open position and atthe same time elevating the fuel control valve I9. Standard controls ofthe well known accelerator type may be employed for actuating thebutterfly valve 48.

The top section 2 of the casing may be provided with openings normallyclosed by pivoted and spring actuated relief valves 54, which operate torelieve the interior of the carburetor of excessive or abnormalpressures, such as those that may be set up by backring of an associatedengine.

In view of the foregoing, it will be evident that the present inventionprovides a carburetor wherein a very intimate contact is effectedbetween the liquid fuel and the oxygen of the air in order to produce aresultant highly efflcient carburetted mixture which will burn cleanlyand completely lin the cylinders of an associated engine to producesmooth even power and minimum liquid fuel consumption. The carburetor isparticularly sensitive in its response to changing conditions and willfunction effectively at all engine speeds. Moreover, the construction ofthe carburetor is such asy to maintain automatically the `desiredrelative proportions of the liquid fuel and air at all stages ofoperation, providing efficient combustion at low or idling speeds, quickand effective acceleration and economic and ecient carburetion at highspeeds.

The construction of the valve member I9 and the fuel slot 29 eliminatesthe usual needle valve and the inaccuracies inherent in needle valvedesign and operation, particularly in the matter of proportioning theflow of liquid fuel after the needle valve has been initially separatedfrom its seat. With the present valve, true proportioning of liquid fuelinow is obtained from substantially its initial position of closure toits fully opened position. This is likewise true in the matter ofassuring the position of the air shutter II at any given flow of airthrough the conduit 8, such positioning being assured by the regulatedtravel of the shutter II in the tapering walled conduit. Theconstruction of the carburetor eliminates the objectionable floatchambers, Venturi passages and suction nozzles of standard carburetors,producing more efflciently carburetted fuel mixtures throughout allstages of engine operation.

My improved carburetor is of course subject to considerable modificationin mechanical design without departing from its fundamental features.For instance, as shown in Fig. 8, a modified form thereof is set forthwherein the conduit 8a, instead of being arcuate, is substantiallystraight and concentric about its vertical longitudinal axis. In thisconstruction, the shutter IIa travels vertically, instead of swingingarcuately as in the previously described form of my invention. Totransmit movement to the fuel flow controlling valve, the vertical stem55 of the shutter IIa is slidably mounted in spaced bearings provided ina guide bracket 56, mounted on the upper end of the conduit 8a. The stem55 is formed with rack teeth 5l, which mesh with segmental gear teethprovided on the outerl end of an arm 58, as shown in Fig. 9. The innerend of the arm 58 is mounted for rotation on a stud shaft 59, rotatablycarried in a bearing formed in the bracket 56. Also, fixed to rotatewith the shaft 59 is a pinion 68, which meshes with rack teeth 6I formedin the upper end of a valve rod 62. The upper end of the valve rod 62 isslidably supported in guide bearings provided by the bracket 56. A coilspring 63 surrounds the valve rod and is confined between a nut 64threaded on said valve rod and a shouldered portion of the guide bracket56, the said spring serving to normally maintain the valve rod in aposition arresting fuel flow into the carburetorand maintaining theshutter Ila in the restricted entrance portion of the conduit 8a.

The valve rod or member 62 at its lower end is flattened to b-arconfiguration and is slidably received within a recess 65 provided in afuel inlet fitting 66 positioned in the upper section 2a of thecarburetor. The lower end of the valve member is formed with a slot 6lwhich is adapted to be brought into and out of registration withcorresponding slots 68 formed internally of the fitting as the valvemember is raised or lowered in response to varying fuel demands. Liquidfuel enters the tting 66 by way of the pipe line 69, and when the slots6'! and 68 are in partial or complete registration, the liquid fueltravels through said slots and into a restricted vertical bore 'I6-formed in the fitting 66. The lower end of the tting and the bore 'I6terminates immediately over the disseminating disk 3l. Otherwise, theconstruction and operation of the carburetor disclosed inFig. 8 are thesame as that in the carburetor illustrated in Fig. 1 and previouslydescribed.

',The shutter or plunger II, it will be noted, is

responsive to the flow of air through the conduit 8 for the purpose ofcontrolling automatically the raising and lowering of the fuel-admittingvalve. The volumetric ow of air, of course, through the conduit 8 isregulated by the butterfly valve 48 in the custo-mary manner and,therefore, the shutter or plunger II does notI restrict or hinder thedesiredY and necessary inflow of air into the carburetor, but simplyserves as a medium for regulating vthe delivery of liquid fuel to themixing chamber of the carburetor. When the plunger or shutter IIoccupies its normal position in the non-tapered portion 9 of the conduit8, the flow of liquidfuel is completely shut off. This position issubject to micrometrio variation by set screw adjustment. When theassociated engine is idling, the shutter or plunger Il occupies aposition immediately adjacent to the portion of the conduit Where thesame begins to flare or taper downwardly so that a proper amount of airand liquid fuel will be admitted into the carburetor to properlymaintain idling engine speed.

As the speed of the engine is advanced, the plunger or shutter movesdownwardly into the wider portions of the conduit, thus furtherelevating the fuel-admitting valve and proportionately increasing.liquid fuel admittance with the increased air admission.

It will be understood that many variations are possible in the design ofmy improved carburetor without departing from its fundamentalprinciples, and I therefore reserve the right to employ all suchvariations as may be said to fall fairly within the scope of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A carburetor comprising av casing having a mixing and vaporizingchamber, a conduit formed With said casing, said conduit having arelatively restricted air inlet and tapered side walls whichprogressively increase in diameter inwardly toward said chamber, nozzleslocated at the air discharging end of said conduit, a rotor revolublymounted in said casing having air impingement vanes disposed immediatelycontiguous to the outlets of said nozzles and adapted for engagementwith air streams discharged at high velocity from said nozzles to effectthe rotation of said rotor, an

air controlled shutter of constant diameter movably mounted in saidtapered conduit, liquid fuel supplying means having a movable controlvalve, a fuel disseminating element bodilyurotatable With said rotor,and means actuated by the movement of said shutter to cause said fuelvalve to produce a variable and regulated delivery of liquid fuel tosaid disseminating element in quantities directly proportional to thevolumes of air entering said mixing chamber throughout all stages ofcarburetor operation.

2. A carburetor comprising a casing having a fuel mixing and vaporizingchamber, a conduit formed with said casing for transmitting air from theatmosphere to said chamber, said conduit having a relatively restrictedair inlet and tapering side walls which progressively increase thediameter of said conduit from the air inlet end thereof inwardly towardsaid chamber, nozzles located at the inner end of said conduit, asupport arranged axially within said casing, a rotor revolubly mountedon said support in said chambei', said rotor having air impingementvanes disposed imrnediately contiguous to the outlets of said nozzlesfor engagement with air streams discharged at high velocities from saidnozzles, supplemental valve closed outlets for transmitting air fromsaid conduit into said mixing chamber when a predetermined air pressuredevelops in the discharge end'of said conduit, air controlled shuttersof constant diameter movably mounted in said conduit, liquid fuelsupplying means having a passage extending through said support, amovable control valve for regulating the flow of liquid fuel lthroughsaid passage, a fuel disseminating element bodily rotatable with saidrotor and having axial registration with the outlet of said fuelpassage, and means actuated by the movement of said shutter to causesaid fuel valve to produce a regulated delivery of liquid fuel to saidelement in quantities directly proportional to the volumes of airentering said mixing chamber.

3. A carburetor comprising a casing having a fuel mixing and vaporizingchamber, an air inlet conduit formed with said casing, said conduithaving tapered side walls progressively increasing in diameter inwardlytoward said chamber, a closure for the inner end of said conduit,downwardly depending nozzles formed with said closure, an axial supportarranged in said casing, a rotor revolubly mounted upon said support,air impingement vanes carried by said rotor, said vanes being disposedimmediately contiguous to the outlets of said nozzles for engagementwith air streams discharged at high velocities from said nozzles, a diskarranged below and bodily rotatable with said rotor, means including amovable valve for delivering liquid fuel to said disk for centrifugaldissemination in said mixing chamber, and means for transmitting themovement of said air shutter to the fuel controlling valve, whereby toproduce a regulated delivery of liquid fuel to said disk in quantitiesuniformly proportioned to the volumes of air entering said mixingchamber throughout all stages of carburetor operation.

4. A carburetor as defined in claim 3 in combination with means forby-passing excess air directly from said conduit into said mixingchamber without passage of said by-passed air through said nozzles.

5. A carburetor comprising a fuel mixing chamber, an air inletcommunicating with said chamber, a rotary fuel disseminator disposed insaid chamber, a plurality of spaced impeller vanes provided with saiddisseminator, nozzle means communicating with said air inlet and havingthe outlets thereof directed toward said vanes, shutter means normallyrestricting communicatio-n between said mixing chamber and air inlet tothat established by said nozzles, and spring means for yieldably holdingsaid shutters in operative positions to direct air through said nozzlemeans, the force of said springs being overcome by the existence ofpredetermined negative pressures in said mixing chamber.

6. In a carburetor of the type having a mixing chamber provided with acarburetted fuel outlet and fuel vaporizing means disposed in saidchamber, a curved air admitting conduit leading to said chamber, thecross-sectional area of said conduit increasing uniformly from the inletto a point spaced inwardly therefrom, an arm mounted for swingingmovement about an axis disposed exteriorly of said conduit, a shuttermember supported by said arm for movement into said conduit in responseto the flow of air thereinto, means for yieldably resisting movement ofsaid arm, fuel conducting means extending into said mixing chamber andterminating adjacent said fuel vaporizing means, valve means forcontrolling the flow of fuel through said conducting means, gear meansconnecting said arm and valve, movement of said shutter serving toimpart movement to said valve through said arm and gear means, and amanually operated member mounted for pivotal movement about the sameaxis of movement of said arm and being in direct engagement therewith,actuation of said member serving to move said arm and valveindependently of air ow through said air admitting conduit.

CHARLES R. SNYDER.

